The cacophony of a restaurant—dishes clinking, bottles being uncorked, bubbling conversation—can be overwhelming. But a great soundtrack can make you forget every other bit of noise.

Why is the soundtrack so essential? Imagine a restaurant without one. Cold, intimidating spaces where guests are petrified to so much as bump their wine glass against their plate, let alone have a conversation. Music diffuses the tension, injects the atmosphere with liveliness, and sets the mood.